Root growth in almond trees. Astrid Volder Plant Sciences, UC Davis

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1 Root growth in almond trees Astrid Volder Plant Sciences, UC Davis

2 Types of roots Large diameter framework roots anchorage Majority of root biomass Smaller diameter exploratory roots soil exploration/anchorage Very fine diameter, short-lived roots water uptake, nutrient absorption Majority of root length

3 Woody Root Architecture The woody part of root systems is a combination of: Heart roots (root plate) Horizontal roots (framework to pioneer) Sinker roots Tree root systems can easily extend >2X the height of the tree, and surprisingly, most tree root systems are not very deep

4 Bare root almond root system, one year after planting (Krymsk 86) Notice that roots respond to pruning at planting very much the way that shoots do lots of branching at cut tips

5 Fine roots versus coarse roots Fine roots: Equivalent to leaves acquire resources Direct acquisition of water & nutrients Low mass, high length (high absorptive surface) Short lifespan Signaling (hormones e.g. production of auxin, cytokinin, abscisic acid, ACC/ethylene) Coarse roots: Anchor the plant Framework for soil exploration Transport of water & nutrients (up), redistribute carbohydrates to fine roots High mass, low length (high transport capacity) Long lifespan Storage

6 Large roots Anchorage is concentrated in two general locations around a tree base close to the stem base on the leeward side and focused on several large diameter roots farther away from the stem base on the windward side in many, smaller, medium diameter, near-surface roots. Coder, Kim D Root Strength & Tree Anchorage. University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources monograph publication WSFNR10-19*. Pp.88

7 Tree Root Biomechanics crown asymmetry, sun exposure, slope, soil instability Tree weight distribution affects structural root systems A few very large diameter roots on the compression side Root plate Roots under tension More lateral woody roots on the tension side Also, the direction of growth of roots on tension vs. compressed sides may differ Roots & -Claus Mattheck

8 Coarse root system Number of lateral roots Trees that were allowed to move made more lateral roots and they were located deeper (don t immobilize with a stake) Less lateral roots occur on the leeward side trees adjust root growth pattern to prevailing wind condition

9 Root systems are optimized for efficient acquisition and transport of water and nutrients Maximize soil exploration lots of fine branching

10 Fine roots short lived, highly active Functional classification 2 nd order lateral Primary root st order lateral 4 5

11 Proportion of root length Krymsk 86 (plum/peach hybrid) Mariana (plum) Root order Proportion of root mass Root order Krymsk Mariana 120 Length/mass (m g -1 ) Mariana has more root length invested in fine roots, while Krymsk has slightly more length, and much more mass, allocated to coarser roots BUT Krymsk 1 st order roots are finer Implications for nutrient uptake and anchorage (still working on this) Root order

12 Types of growth Indeterminate Growth does not have a pre-set stopping point Pioneer roots Generally larger diameter (> 1 mm (0.039 inch) and order (3rd order or larger) Determinate Growth stops when a maximum size/length is reached 1st order roots (functional classification) Almond 0.5 mm (0.020 inch) diameter or smaller Large fraction at 0.1 mm (0.004 inch)

13 Fine roots proliferate rapidly in response to localized patches of nutrients and/or water Grape fine roots aggregating near subsurface drip Locally enriched zone with nitrate - N Drew and Saker 1975

14 65-85 cm 9 images stitched together depth cm Depth 17 cm increments Time 3 weeks apart Notice progression down tube, branching, and browning cm time 5/5/16 5/27/16 6/17/16

15 New root production (full irrigation only) Note absence of Fall peak should fertilize when you have new (not brown) roots!

16 Roots & rhizosphere Shoot C capture (aboveground) Whole Plant Growth Biomass Allocation Root System Root characteristics: E.g. root length, root distribution, specific root length, nutrient uptake rates, root respiration, root turnover, root age, root exudation Nutrient capture, water acquisition, anchoring. The rhizosphere system is an integral part of ecosystem functioning and affects many processes such as; C cycling, nutrient (N,P) cycling, water availability, soil quality etc. Soil Conditions: E.g. nutrient availability, soil moisture, soil strength, mineralization, soil fauna, mycorrhizae etc.

17 Rhizosphere Zone of soil around roots that is affected by the presence of the roots The zone from which water and nutrient uptake takes place Zone with Altered water content (generally more moist) than bulk soil Enhanced microbial activity Stimulated by carbon rich compounds released by roots Direct signaling between plants & microorganism Mycorrhizal sphere Expanded zone that includes the soil area influenced by the presence of a root associated mycorrhizal fungus Microbes and roots need oxygen for respiration (oxygen is displaced by water when soil is saturated)

18 Factors essential for good root development Pore space contains Water Air/Oxygen Oxygen diffuses 10,000 times slower through water than through air. Too much water not enough oxygen to support root function Ideal soil:

19 Oxygen is essential for root growth Oxygen uptake Faster growing roots require more oxygen Root growth

20 Oxygen is essential to generate energy (ATP) in roots Cellular respiration 4-10 ATP Converting to ATP requires O 2 50 ATP Taiz and Zeiger Plant Physiology Bottom line: Without O 2, the total ATP yield from one sucrose is 4 ATP instead of 60 ATP a loss in efficiency of 93% ATP is used for growth, maintain existing living cells, and nutrient uptake! Excess water leads to low oxygen, impaired root functioning and leaf nutrient deficiency - In this case fertilization is not the solution should reduce watering.. Reproduced from Plants in Action, published by the Australian Society of Plant Scientists. Chapter 6

21 Most respiratory energy is used for nutrient uptake & growth Nutrient uptake (65%) Growth (25%) Maintenance (10%) Reproduced from Plants in Action, published by the Australian Society of Plant Scientists. Chapter 6

22 Function of fine lateral roots Acquisition of water & nutrients expand soil volume explored Formation of nutrient depletion zones requires constant new growth & exploration Nitrogen (dissolved in soil water, moves easily) Phosphorus (doesn t diffuse well through soil sticks to soil particles)

23 Roots have to continually grow to continue water & nutrient uptake and explore new soil One week interval - fine laterals appear and disappear - higher order root turns brown

24 Benefit (N uptake) Metabolic activity (respiration) Nitrogen uptake Root browning For container grown grape rootstocks N uptake and respiration declined very rapidly as roots aged Repeat in field showed same result Oxygen use

25 Favorable physical environment for root functioning Water (requires smaller pores to hold water against gravity) Reduces resistance to root growth Essential for cell elongation as well as leaf gas exchange and overall plant growth Oxygen (requires air filled pores macro-pores, well drained soil) Energy is used for cellular maintenance, root growth AND nutrient uptake Respiration in the presence of oxygen yields 15 times more energy (ATP) Nutrients Stimulates fine root proliferation and overall plant growth Balance between providing roots with water, while not reducing oxygen availability to the point it damages the roots. Problems when keeping soils too wet (saturated) too often and/or too long!

26 At Turlock most fine roots were in the top 10 cm (oxygen, water & nutrients) 20 km per cubic meter = 9.5 mile per cubic yard Irrigating slightly below ET yielded the highest standing root length density in July

27 Many root problems can be avoided by paying attention at planting time! Roots well distributed Roots free of disease Roots free of defects, such as: Kinked roots Sharp bend in the tap root or major structural roots Circling roots Roots growing in a circle around the trunk or other roots

28 Kinked and center circling Center circling roots. Kinked root J root

29 Root zones of containerized trees What happens after planting in the landscape? 1. Trunk surface zone (problems here are almost impossible to correct) 2. Center zone (container size; also very difficult to correct) 3. Peripheral zone (to edges of the container; can be corrected with root pruning)

30 Potential impact of girdling roots Example of nice bare root system Photograph: David Doll Twisting, girdling or J-roots are undesirable and will likely cause problems

31 Circling & girdling root issues Reduced soil exploration outside the planting hole > reduced canopy development Planting hole may retain more water majority of circling roots exposed to anoxic conditions perfect conditions for root rot Tree growth & development severely delayed Stunted trees receive the same amount of water as big trees and are exposed to saturated conditions longer Could grow out of this, but.also long term problem

32 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 STEM Root grows in width too Stem above girdling root will still increase in width, and sometimes even swells, creating a structurally weak pivot point for trees to snap stem Structural roots & stems both grow in width restricting stem growth

33 At planting Bare root trees Generally dormant (no transpiration, very little water use) No included growth media roots placed into same soil as surrounding soil Container trees May be active (leaves transpire, higher water use) Included growth media, generally coarser than surrounding fill soil

34 Result: Bare root trees use little water until the tree leafs out while container trees will need very regular irrigation (often already leafed out) Coarse container soil will lose water to the surrounding soil water moves from coarse to fine soil Root ball will dry out faster for container trees due to soil texture difference Covering the root ball with field soil will exacerbate the problem! Plant container trees slightly above grade, place drip emitter on the root ball (do not cover with field soil), water frequently Layer of gravel

35 Impact of heading at planting it reduces deep root production in the first 5 months after planting Root length below 2.5 feet deep No treatment Headed & Pruned Standing root length (m m -2 )

36 Aboveground factors that affect root growth and function Canopy activity carbohydrate availability for root growth Management (pruning) Solar radiation intercepted Temperature & humidity Wind (coarse roots) Tight staking prevents good root development which leads to poor anchorage trees must be allowed to move Tie loosely at lowest possible height (not at multiple heights) Roots

37 Impact of irrigation and scion on carbohydrate reserves in fine roots (Krymsk 86) When receiving adequate irrigation, fine roots of Krymsk 86 with Wood Colony as the scion had the greatest amount of starch and sugars (NSC) Fine roots of Krymsk 86 with Monterey and Wood Colony as scion reduced starch and sugars when watering was reduced Strong rootstock x scion interaction which depends on management! As with heading and staking, what you do aboveground will have effects belowground

38 Important factors - belowground Soil texture (particle composition) and structure affects soil permeability, water and nutrient transport through the soil to the root, root architecture Soil moisture roots grow where there is soil moisture and nutrients Soil oxygen affects ability of root to function (respire). Generally roots need oxygen concentrations > 10% Soil temperature high soil temps (> 35 o C) inhibit root function, o C tends to be optimal Soil flora and fauna recycle nutrients and fungal symbiosis may increase root functioning Most nutrient availability is greatest at a soil ph between

39 Acknowledgements UC Davis pomology farm staff Sierra Gold nursery for donating the trees Funding provided by: Almond Board of California Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis Paul Martinez, Bruce Lampinen, Courtney Nichols, Hana You, Xinyu Yao, David Doll, Ken Shackel, Sam Metcalf, Tamara McClung, Loreto Contador, Maciej Zwieniecki

40 Primary functions of roots Absorption and transport of water water is taken up and transport along a water potential gradient. (See water transport lectures) Nutrient absorption nutrients can be taken up actively or passively depending on the elements. (See nutrition lectures) Anchorage this is extremely important and rootstocks can vary quite a bit even when grown with a common scion cultivar. This is most influenced in a given soil type by root architectural characteristics such a number of fine vs. course roots, rooting depth, angle of major structural roots, etc. Storage as noted in previous discussion of CHO storage, dormant season CHO concentrations tend to be highest in root tissues and can account for as much a 50% of total stored CHO in trees. Conversion or synthesis of growth regulators Auxins Gibberellins Cytokinins Abscisic acid

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